NANOTECHNOLOGY and REGULATION

 NANOTECHNOLOGY




Nanotechnology, 

also shortened to nanotech, is the use of matter on an atomic, molecular, and supramolecular scale for industrial purposes. The earliest, widespread description of nanotechnology referred to the particular technological goal of precisely manipulating atoms and molecules for fabrication of macroscale products, also now referred to as molecular nanotechnology.[1][2] A more generalized description of nanotechnology was subsequently established by the National Nanotechnology Initiative, which defined nanotechnology as the manipulation of matter with at least one dimension sized from 1 to 100 nanometers. This definition reflects the fact that quantum mechanical effects are important at this quantum-realm scale, and so the definition shifted from a particular technological goal to a research category inclusive of all types of research and technologies that deal with the special properties of matter which occur below the given size threshold. It is therefore common to see the plural form "nanotechnologies" as well as "nanoscale technologies" to refer to the broad range of research and applications whose common trait is size.




Nanotechnology as defined by size is naturally broad, including fields of science as diverse as surface science, organic chemistry, molecular biology, semiconductor physics, energy storage,[3][4] engineering,[5] microfabrication,[6] and molecular engineering.[7] The associated research and applications are equally diverse, ranging from extensions of conventional device physics to completely new approaches based upon molecular self-assembly,[8] from developing new materials with dimensions on the nanoscale to direct control of matter on the atomic scale.


Scientists currently debate the future implications of nanotechnology. Nanotechnology may be able to create many new materials and devices with a vast range of applications, such as in nanomedicine, nanoelectronics, biomaterials energy production, and consumer products. On the other hand, nanotechnology raises many of the same issues as any new technology, including concerns about the toxicity and environmental impact of nanomaterials,[9] and their potential effects on global economics, as well as speculation about various doomsday scenarios. These concerns have led to a debate among advocacy groups and governments on whether special regulation of nanotechnology is warranted.


Regulation


Calls for tighter regulation of nanotechnology have occurred alongside a growing debate related to the human health and safety risks of nanotechnology.[100] There is significant debate about who is responsible for the regulation of nanotechnology. Some regulatory agencies currently cover some nanotechnology products and processes (to varying degrees) – by "bolting on" nanotechnology to existing regulations – there are clear gaps in these regimes.[101] Davies (2008) has proposed a regulatory road map describing steps to deal with these shortcomings.[102]


Stakeholders concerned by the lack of a regulatory framework to assess and control risks associated with the release of nanoparticles and nanotubes have drawn parallels with bovine spongiform encephalopathy ("mad cow" disease), thalidomide, genetically modified food,[103] nuclear energy, reproductive technologies, biotechnology, and asbestosis. Dr. Andrew Maynard, chief science advisor to the Woodrow Wilson Center's Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies, concludes that there is insufficient funding for human health and safety research, and as a result there is currently limited understanding of the human health and safety risks associated with nanotechnology.[104] As a result, some academics have called for stricter application of the precautionary principle, with delayed marketing approval, enhanced labelling and additional safety data development requirements in relation to certain forms of nanotechnology.[105]


The Royal Society report identified a risk of nanoparticles or nanotubes being released during disposal, destruction and recycling, and recommended that "manufacturers of products that fall under extended producer responsibility regimes such as end-of-life regulations publish procedures outlining how these materials will be managed to minimize possible human and environmental exposure" 


The Center for Nanotechnology in Society has found that people respond to nanotechnologies differently, depending on application – with participants in public deliberations more positive about nanotechnologies for energy than health applications – suggesting that any public calls for nano regulations may differ by technology sector.





Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

AZIZUL KHAN, THE INVENTOR OF FINGER PRINT HISTORY

Image
   AZIZUL KHAN Khan Bahadur Qazi Azizul Haque (1872 – 1935) was a Bengali inventor and police officer in British India, notable for his work with Edward Henry and Hem Chandra Bose in developing the Henry Classification System of fingerprints, which is still in use. Haque provided the mathematical basis for the system. Haque was born in 1872 in the village of Paigram Kasba, Phultala, in the Khulna division of the Bengal Presidency (now in Bangladesh). His parents died in a boat accident when he was young. He left his family home at age 12 and went to Kolkata, where he befriended a family who became impressed with his mathematical skills and arranged for him to get a formal education. Haque studied mathematics and science at Presidency College, Kolkata. In 1892, Edward Henry of the Calcutta Police wrote to the college principal asking for the recommendation of a strong statistics student to help with his fingerprint project, and the principal nominated Haque. Henry recruited Haq...
Read more

THE LIFE OF ALAIN ASPECT

Image
                      ALAIN ASPECT     (French: [aspɛ]; born 15 June 1947) is a French physicist known for his experimental work on quantum entanglement. Born June 15, 1947 (age 75). He is from the Ecole Normale Supérieure of the University of Orsay. He has received various awards in his life. The best among them is his Nobel Prize in 2022. Also has Hallweck Medal (1991) Wolf Prize in Physics (2010)  Albert Einstein Medal (2012) He is a famous physicist. Vision was elected a Foreign Fellow of the Royal Society (FormerMS) in 2015. Read his election certificate For his fundamental experiments in quantum optics and nuclear physics. Alain Aspect was the first to experimentally exclude subluminal communication between measurement stations, demonstrate that quantum mechanics invalidates the separable hidden-variable theory, and experimentally demonstrate wave-particle duality of a single photon. He co-discovered the techniq...
Read more

EVOLUTION

Image
      ★★ EVOLUTION   ★★★ Evolution is change in the heritable characteristics of biological populations over successive generations.These characteristics are the expressions of genes that are passed on from parent to offspring during reproduction. Different characteristics tend to exist within any given population as a result of mutation, genetic recombination and other sources of genetic variation. Evolution occurs when evolutionary processes such as natural selection (including sexual selection) and genetic drift act on this variation, resulting in certain characteristics becoming more common or rare within a population. The evolutionary pressures that determine whether a characteristic would be common or rare within a population constantly change, resulting in a change in heritable characteristics arising over successive generations. It is this process of evolution that has given rise to biodiversity at every level of biological organisation, including the le...
Read more

THE HISTORY OF NOVEL PRICE

IN 1901, the Nobel Prize (Swedish: Nobelpriset) was introduced. Since that year, the award has been presented to various individuals and institutions around the world for successful and unique research and innovation and unparalleled humanitarian work. Awards are given in total five subjects. The subjects are: physics, chemistry, medicine, literature and peace. [1] The Nobel Prize is considered the most prestigious medal in the world in all these fields. [2] Nobel laureates are called Nobel laureates in English. The Nobel Prize was introduced in accordance with a will made by the Swedish scientist Alfred Nobel in 1895. Nobel announced the award in his will before his death. Only the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded from Oslo, Norway. In other cases, the award ceremony is held in Stockholm, Sweden. Prizes in subjects other than economics have been awarded since 1901, but economics began in 1969.  Alfred Nobel did not mention economics in his will.  The award was suspended from 194...
Read more

BIOTERRORISM (BIOWEAPON -5)

Image
  BIO TERRORISM  Biological weapons are difficult to detect, economical and easy to use, making them appealing to terrorists. The cost of a biological weapon is estimated to be about 0.05 percent the cost of a conventional weapon in order to produce similar numbers of mass casualties per kilometer square. Moreover, their production is very easy as common technology can be used to produce biological warfare agents, like that used in production of vaccines, foods, spray devices, beverages and antibiotics. A major factor in biological warfare that attracts terrorists is that they can easily escape before the government agencies or secret agencies have even started their investigation. This is because the potential organism has an incubation period of 3 to 7 days, after which the results begin to appear, thereby giving terrorists a lead. A technique called Clustered, Regularly Interspaced, Short Palindromic Repeat (CRISPR-Cas9) is now so cheap and widely available that scientists ...
Read more

HISTORY OF Submarine (PART-I)

Image
  HISTORY OF                  SUBMARINE (PART- I)  A submarine (or sub) is a watercraft capable of independent operation underwater.  It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability. The term is also sometimes used historically or colloquially to refer to remotely operated vehicles and robots, as well as medium-sized or smaller vessels, such as the midget submarine and the wet sub. Submarines are referred to as "boats" rather than "ships" irrespective of their size. Although experimental submarines had been built earlier, submarine design took off during the 19th century, and they were adopted by several navies. They were first widely used during World War I (1914–1918), and are now used in many navies, large and small. Military uses include attacking enemy surface ships (merchant and military) or other submarines, and for aircraft carrier protection, blockade running, nuclear deterrence, reconnaissa...
Read more

HISTORY OF SUBMARINE (PART-II)

Image
  SUBMARINES TECHNOLOGY   Before and during World War II, the primary role of the submarine was anti-surface ship warfare. Submarines would attack either on the surface using deck guns, or submerged using torpedoes. They were particularly effective in sinking Allied transatlantic shipping in both World Wars, and in disrupting Japanese supply routes and naval operations in the Pacific in World War II. Mine-laying submarines were developed in the early part of the 20th century. The facility was used in both World Wars. Submarines were also used for inserting and removing covert agents and military forces in special operations, for intelligence gathering, and to rescue aircrew during air attacks on islands, where the airmen would be told of safe places to crash-land so the submarines could rescue them. Submarines could carry cargo through hostile waters or act as supply vessels for other submarines. Submarines could usually locate and attack other submarines only on the surf...
Read more

Defend and BIOWEAPON -(BW8)

Image
 In 2010 at The Meeting of the States Parties to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and Their Destruction in Geneva[] the sanitary epidemiological reconnaissance was suggested as well-tested means for enhancing the monitoring of infections and parasitic agents, for the practical implementation of the International Health Regulations (2005). The aim was to prevent and minimize the consequences of natural outbreaks of dangerous infectious diseases as well as the threat of alleged use of biological weapons against BTWC States Parties. Many countries require their active-duty military personnel to get vaccinated for certain diseases that may potentially be used as a bioweapon such as anthrax. Public health and disease surveillance It is important to note that most classical and modern biological weapons' pathogens can be obtained from a plant or an animal which is naturally infected. In the ...
Read more

BIOWEAPON (PART-3)

Image
    LAW OF               BIOWEAPON International restrictions on biological warfare began with the 1925 Geneva Protocol, which prohibits the use but not the possession or development of biological and chemical weapons. Upon ratification of the Geneva Protocol, several countries made reservations regarding its applicability and use in retaliation. Due to these reservations, it was in practice a "no-first-use" agreement only.[] The 1972 Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) supplements the Geneva Protocol by prohibiting the development, production, acquisition, transfer, stockpiling and use of biological weapons.[] Having entered into force on 26 March 1975, the BWC was the first multilateral disarmament treaty to ban the production of an entire category of weapons of mass destruction.[] As of March 2021, 183 states have become party to the treaty.[60] The BWC is considered to have established a strong global norm against biological weapons,[] wh...
Read more

BIOLOGICAL WARFARE (PART-1)

Image
    BIOLOGICAL                                WARFARE               also known as germ warfare, is the use of biological toxins or infectious agents such as bacteria, viruses, insects, and fungi with the intent to kill, harm or incapacitate humans, animals or plants as an act of war. Biological weapons (often termed "bio-weapons", "biological threat agents", or "bio-agents") are living organisms or replicating entities ( ⁠i.e. viruses, which are not universally considered "alive"). Entomological (insect) warfare is a subtype of biological warfare. ★ Offensive biological warfare is prohibited under customary international humanitarian law and several international treaties.In particular, the 1972 Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) bans the development, production, acquisition, transfer, stockpiling and use of biological weapons. Therefore, the use of bio...
Read more